Sony's next PlayStation, which is expected to be unveiled tomorrow, will come loaded with a host of improvements, a new report claims.

The device, which could be known as the PlayStation 4, will ditch the Cell processor that Sony, IBM, and Toshiba developed for the PlayStation 3 in favor of an AMD chip, The Wall Street Journal is reporting, citing people who claim to have knowledge of Sony's plans. The Journal's sources have also agreed with earlier reports, saying that the PlayStation 4's controller will come with touch features.

Sony is holding a special PlayStation event tomorrow. The company has so far remained tight-lipped on its plans, but that hasn't stopped the rumor mill from outing a host of features that could come to the device. Debate remains, however, over whether Sony will indeed upgrade the processor in the next PlayStation, or if its announcement will be a device that matches its current PlayStation's components but adds extra features.

Either way, the rumor that everyone seems to agree on is a cloud-based gaming element in the next PlayStation. The Journal has once again cited sources that claim Sony's $380 million buy of Gaikai last year will result in support for cloud-gaming in the PlayStation 4. The Journal's sources say gamers will be able to stream full PlayStation 3 games, but PlayStation 4 titles will be delivered on discs for the time being.

The big question, though, is whether Sony's PlayStation can succeed where the first next-generation console, the Wii U, has stumbled. Nintendo sold only 57,000 Wii U units in January -- a staggeringly low number that has called into question the average gamer's appetite for a new console.

Sony is expected to launch its new console sometime later this year. Until then, be sure to check back tomorrow at 3 p.m. PT to follow CNET's live blog on all the announcements.

About the author

Don Reisinger is a technology columnist who has covered everything from HDTVs to computers to Flowbee Haircut Systems. Besides his work with CNET, Don's work has been featured in a variety of other publications including PC World and a host of Ziff-Davis publications.
See full bio

Discuss AMD chip, touch controllers all head to next PlayStation -- report